This collection of images will serve as my ode to spring this year. They were all made on the same day, this past Saturday, three of them beautiful flowers Bonnie is growing and the rest from a nearby park where Maggie and I did our daily walk.
Here’s a little side story. I’ve wore glasses full time for years and years and regularly have eye examines. Over the last couple of years I’d been thinking my vision was slowly getting worst but each examination showed my eyes have been stabile the last four years and any changes in prescription would be very, very minor — not worth the money for new glasses/lens. It’s only in the last 6-9 months that things escalated and driving at night became a challenge with light sources displaying as large starbursts — try dodging that in heavy night traffic with hundreds of headlights and streetlights. I’d almost become convinced I was developing cataracts but the examines also showed that not to be true. I finally examined my four year old glasses and noticed a very fine haze which wouldn’t come off — no major scratches — it was micro-scratches from four years of cleaning them.
I received my new glasses about two weeks ago and what a difference…no more starbursts, no more fine haze. Now you might wonder how this fits in with the photos above. I’m embarrassed to admit this but with my old glasses I wasn’t able to see some low level noise and detail on the photos I’d been processing. Now everything pops out at me.
The glasses degraded so gradually I’d only noticed it when it reached a tipping point. Also, if my eye’s had been changing I’d have gotten new lens regularly and it wouldn’t have been an issue. Yeah, I know…it’s an old man story…you gotta laugh sometimes! :-)
Interesting how things like foggy glasses happen over time to the point where they get so bad that we have a hard time seeing. That’s really amazing. Not a problem I have with contacts, although the pollen does tend to wreak havoc with my eyes anyway. But eye drops won’t help with glasses!
Kathy says your new glasses not only help you see well, but they make you look good too! ;)
Oh, and nice collection of spring flowers. Looks like you had a good time outdoors yesterday.
Tom, I wish I could wear contacts. I’ve tried but my eyes are too dry and the drops don’t seem to help.
My thanks to Kathy… :-)
It was beautiful outdoors but this is the worst time of the year for my allergies to tree pollen.
Beautiful collection of flowers, Earl. That’s pretty funny about the glasses, in a way. Well, it’s all part of becoming a “man of a certain age”. ;) I am wearing glasses and more and find that I really need to keep them clean because they do impair my vision when they are all smudged. Should I get to the point of having starbursts, I’ll certainly go in and have some new lenses made. I’ll learn from your experience. Thanks! :D
You’ve just got to laugh at yourself about these types of things. I didn’t realize getting four years of wear from a pair of glasses these days was especially long term until I looking into some new ones.
Those starbursts were beautiful, Paul, and would look great in some photos…but I thought I was going to have to give up night driving. :-)
I had to smile at your story. My weakening eyesight seems to have stabilised too but I think I’ll get my glasses replaced regularly even if it’s with the same prescription. Thanks for the heads up ;)
Enjoy your spring with new clarity Earl.
Cedric, glad I provided a smile to your day and good choice on regular lens replacements. A couple of years might be the life of the modern plastic lens these days…especially if they have the antiglare coatings and all.
Well Earl, I hope you weren’t cleaning your camera lenses with the same stuff you were cleaning your eyeglasses with. :-)
And about the flowers – you southerners really have a way of rubbing all this spring stuff in, don’t you? I did go out this evening, looking for maybe some early spring blooms that were covered in SNOW. Found some blooms, but they were drooping over as sad as the humans around here are to see snow on the ground again.
Mark, if the truth be known, I take much better care of my camera lenses then my eyeglasses — a true photographer! :-)
You know, there is a reason why so many northerners move down this way — of course with global warming that trend might start reversing itself. ;-)
I am not so sure on that moving part Earl. If it does end up affecting the jet stream and cause more of these polar vortex winters, I think many will be looking for some place much more pleasant than here.
I a collage of beautiful images – indeed an ode to spring. And enjoyed your little side story – not the least since it all ended well. Congratulations with new glasses.
Otto, thanks! I’m looking forward to a cleaner and sharper summer this year with my new eyeglasses!